Rose Colored Mirror
by AngelsXAmongXUs
Summary: When Adalina, a blind Italian girl, transfers to Ouran, she discovers the Host Club. Her unique ways of doing almost everything open the club's eyes, and while she has a little to teach everyone, something unexpected may throw a wrench into her plans.
1. A Friend of my Friend

Rose-Colored Mirror

}-;—

1-A Friend of My Friend

"Cleo…I don't want to go to school," Adalina moaned, holding out her hand to her cat. "My Japanese is atrocious, Demetri isn't here yet, and…they just won't understand." She blew out her cheeks, stroking the cat's mottled golden fur. Cleopatra purred in understanding. She butted her head against her hand and meowed up at her. "Yes, you're very sympathetic," the Italian girl noted, rolling her eyes. "Well, I have to go. I can hear the car outside."

Adalina stood up from her bed and slung her book bag over her shoulder with confidence and grace, pushing her honey-gold hair behind her shoulders. Then she tripped and fell, knocking her head against the top of the writing desk against her wall.

"Ouch!" she yelled. "Annabella!"

"I'm so sorry Ada!" a clear, high voice sounded. Small feet ran up the staircase and opened the door, and Annabella picked her older sister up off the floor. "I forgot I left that out," she murmured, kicking the overturned case of markers out of the way. "Oh look what I've done to your forehead."

"It's alright. Please make sure you don't leave it out again; I'll have the driver fix me up when I get in the car."

"Yes, Ada."

"I'll see you when I get home from school. Don't forget, you start at Ouran next Monday."

"I know. _Arrivederci, grande sorella_!"

Goodbye, big sister. Even though her head was pounding, Adalina smiled as she let her baby sister out of her room and shut her door, then walked down the stairs and out of the mansion. Annabella was so understanding when her big sister got cross with her, and she did a good job of keeping things neat and simple to ease her time.

It must be hard, Adalina imagined, to have your big sister, the one who is supposed to look out for you, unable to do so. It must be hard to have a big sister who is blind.

}-;—

"Ah, Adalina Garetti. Our new student from…Italy, is it, Miss Garetti?"

"Yes, teacher," Adalina replied haltingly. Her Japanese, she discovered, was even worse under pressure. She could feel the weight of her classmates' stares on her.

"Would you like to tell us a little about yourself?"

"Ah…well, I have been blind since I was in a car accident when I was ten…my father moved us here to open up the Japanese chain of his business…and my Japanese if very iffy."

The class chuckled lukewarmly, and the teacher subtly took the lead back. "Alright. We're glad you're here. Mister Fujioka, would you mind showing Miss Garetti around until she gets used to the school?"

"Actually, sir, my guide dog Demetri will be arriving in Japan in a few days…" Adalina trailed off, remembering her father's advice. _Make friends—Ouran is as much a political chessboard for families as it is a school. _"But until he gets here, I'd love to have a guide to help me."

"I will, sir," the Fujioka boy complied. Adalina whipped her head in his direction. Well, she thought it was a he. The teacher had said 'mister', but the voice was distinctly higher than any boy she had ever met that was her age. Then she realized that, for whatever reason, she had heard correctly, and the girl Haruhi Fujioka preferred to be known to the school as a male. Showing her understanding for keeping embarrassing characteristics to herself, Adalina waited until lunch, when the girl came over to escort her, to ask about her discovery.

As the other students in the class filed out, Adalina waited back, keenly aware of Fujioka's hand at her elbow.

"Fujioka-san," Adalina started, turning to her escort with eerie accuracy, "Why do you hide from this school that you are a female?"

Fujioka's shock radiated off her in sheets.

"But—how? Aren't you…I…ah—forgive me, Garetti-san, but how did you know I was a girl? You're…"

"Blind? I know. But your voice is higher than a boy's, and your step is lighter. But you dress in the boys' uniform, and your hair is short."

"How did you know?" Now Fujioka was just dumbstruck.

"I can't hear a dress hem when you move, and your hair isn't long enough to smell like shampoo. I'm blind, not completely helpless. Now, why does the school think you're a man? Unless," Adalina thought again, her face closing. "You'd rather not tell me. I understand if you don't."

"No, it's not that," Fujioka smiled, her face lighting up. "It's just that it would be much easier to show you than to tell you. Do you mind eating somewhere other than the cafeteria today? It'll be quieter, I promise, and the food will be marginally better."

"…Sure," Adalina replied uncertainly, letting the girl-playing-boy grab her wrist and lead her slowly and surely through multiple halls, long passages, and twisting grand staircases of Ouran to the third music room.

"Are we nearly there?" Adalina panted, fumbling on the foot of the last staircase—Fujioka had forgotten to tell her it was there.

"Yes; sorry, I forgot I had to tell you. This is the last set of stairs, then there's a hallway that leads to the third music room."

"Third?! This place has _three_ music rooms?!"

"Actually, it has five, but three and four aren't used for classes. I presume the club uses it because it has a piano for Tamaki to play…here we are."

Fujioka pushed open the music room door with her free hand, and Adalina felt a rush of cool, but not cold, wind on her cheeks.

"Haru-chan!" A young voice, something like a middle schooler's, or even an elementary student's, rocketed into Adalina's range and knocked Fujioka's hand away. Adalina stood patiently, waiting for someone to notice or else to get a clue of the depth of the room, and listened to the conversations around her.

"Honey-senpai, you can't just do that sort of thing; Adalina is—"

"Look, Tono! Haruhi is here!"

"And she brought a guest…"

"Hikaru, isn't she the girl in our class?"

"I think she is; that girl we were telling the Club about…"

Suddenly, someone was very close—inches from Adalina's face, even. There were fingers under her chin, and they were silken-smooth and gentle, like the voice which spoke next. "Ahh, what have we here?"

While Adalina knew she wasn't being threatened, she was thrown off guard by this surprise, and pinwheeled backward with a yelp.

"Stupid Tono!" two voices rang in unison. "Garetti-san is—"

"_Blind_." There was that smooth, handsome voice again, and the silken fingers reached out to grab Adalina's wrist and pull her back on her feet. "Forgive me, Garetti Adalina-san. I have only just noticed your eyes."

Adalina blushed delicately and lowered her eyes. They were almost normal, but her irises were a telltale creamy silver; the mark the accident left on her eyes. Usually, people were unnerved by them, so she had gotten used to averting them, but in her haste to accommodate herself with the new surroundings, and unaware there were other people in the room, Adalina had been looking up when the stranger grabbed her.

"It is alright," Adalina assured him. "It was a simple mistake, and easily remedied. I just did not hear you approach, and your touch startled me."

"I am Suo Tamaki," the young man continued, shaking her hand gently in the European style of greeting. "My father, the principal of this school, was very interested in you when you transferred here. Your Japanese is very good."

"Thank you, Tamaki…senpai?" Adalina guessed. While she couldn't be certain, she thought Tamaki was much taller than her, and therefore probably older.

"I would be your senpai," Tamaki confirmed. "But I would enjoy it very much if you called me –kun."

"Tamaki-kun, then," the Italian corrected herself.

"Tono, don't stand around all day. Introduce the rest of us." The same two harmonic voices rang out again from a few feet to Adalina's left.

"Why are you calling him…I'm sorry, is that the honorific for 'lord'?"

"Yes, it's a weird little formality…we're really not sure why they do it," Tamaki waved off Adalina's question. "The twins are Hitachiin Kaoru and Hikaru. I'll leave it to you to decide which is which; that should be interesting."

"We have mouths, Tamaki, _move_," one of the twins snapped, and Adalina felt the wind made by Tamaki being pushed away. The Hitachiin twins took his place, and shook her hand independently. "I'm Hitachiin Kaoru."

"And I'm Hitachiin Hikaru."

"Pleased to meet you, Hitachiins Kaoru and Hikaru."

"I'm Haninozuka Mitsukuni. You can call me Honey-kun for short." This was the little boy.

Adalina leaned down impulsively. "Honey-kun, how old are you?"

"Seventeen, Ada-chan."

"That's surprising," Adalina replied levelly. "You're short for your age."

"I know. This is Usa-chan, my bunny."

Adalina felt the velveteen plush doll beneath her fingertips as Honey gently pressed it against them.

"And my friend, Morinozuka Takashi."

The blind girl jerked her head up as a shadow fell over her—the man was taller than Tamaki; the tallest she had yet met. He laid a heavy but ginger and controlled hand on her head.

"Hello, Adalina-san." Morinozuka's voice was deep. It reminded her of string bass; startlingly refreshing after Honey's viola-voice. "You can call me Mori-kun."

"Hello, Mori-kun," Adalina obliged the gentle giant. He moved away to reveal the last young man to introduce himself.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Garetti. I am Ootori Kyoya."

Adalina felt herself withdraw slightly from this new person. His voice was pleasant and smooth like Tamaki's, but cooler, almost cold. His nature seemed to match, and even without sight, Adalina could tell he was calculating every bit of her, deciding what was useful, what could be molded into useful, and what had no use at all.

The European organization of her own name didn't escape her—this boy was clever; establishing himself as the only person present to take into account her culture by something so subtle. Ootori Kyoya was…crafty. And a dangerous enemy to say the least.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ootori-sama. Please call me Adalina."

"Likewise, please call me by my first name."

Another subtle note—Kyoya had left his preferred honorific up to her. He was feeling her out.

"Forgive me, then, Kyoya-san." She thought she heard a little chuckle under the cool young man's breath as he retreated.

"We are Ouran High School's Host Club," Tamaki smiled. "Haruhi is our newest member."

With that Adalina turned to Haruhi. "So that's why you're disguised as a boy. So you can be in the Host Club. Are you…forgive me, are you homosexual?"

"No," Haruhi laughed, blushing delicately. "Actually, it was a misunderstanding. I'm working with the Host Club to pay off a debt I owe to them for breaking a valuable vase. I looked like a boy when I met them because I had cut my hair short and couldn't afford the girls' uniform. Now the whole school thinks I'm a boy, and there's no reason to change that."

"I see. That makes sense, actually." No doubt, Adalina thought, that Kyoya person was holding her to the debt. Yes, she would have to be _very_ careful. The Italian could tell, however, that Kyoya was used to dealing with the types of people his fellow members were—blundering and somewhat lacking subtlety. No doubt he wasn't expecting the blind foreigner to be as adept at this political tightrope walk as she was.

"So will you be a regular guest to the Host Club?" Tamaki asked. "If Haruhi is showing you around, that means you'll have to come with her to club activities."

"No it doesn't," Haruhi grumbled, but Adalina was thinking in a different direction of either of them.

Her father put her and Annabella in Ouran Private Academy so they could make close friends and reinforce ties. She had done some research and found information on this Host Club—the majority of the members would be power players in their families in a few years. Powerful friends to make.

"I would love to be a guest to the Host Club," Adalina smiled, cutting through Haruhi's bickering. "Although, if it's not too inconvenient, I would also like to come with Haruhi-chan to your club meetings, to learn how such a unique club is run."

"Of course you may," Tamaki replied graciously, taking Adalina's hands in his. "We're honored to have such a talented, intelligent, and distinctive young woman show interest in our organization."

_Kyoya's polish, but without the ulterior intent_, Adalina observed, smiling at the host. This would turn out to be an interesting year.

}-;—

"Have you learned anything at school, yet, Adalina?" Bertoldo Garetti asked the elder of his two daughters at dinner the evening of her first day at school.

Adalina lowered her head, pensively studying her teacup, turning it this way and that, trying to filter out and organize the things that were most important.

"I have learned that their world is more subtle and competitive than the one Annabella and I are used to, but it is not at all too taxing. Also, the classes mesh well with the tutoring you had us take to prepare us for living here. I understand most of what they are learning."

"Good, good. And have you made any friends?"

_Prioritize_, Adalina's subconscious reminded her. "The scholarship student we heard about was asked to escort me around the campus until Demetri arrives. He introduced me to an exclusive club of young men chosen for their backgrounds. They consist of the third son of the Ootori family, the only son of the Suo family, as well as a talented young man from the Haninozuka line, his guardian, and a pair of twins from a prominent family in Japanese fashion."

"Not bad for a day's work," Bertoldo chuckled. He was a warm and kind man to his daughters, but he taught them how to navigate the ravenous waters of his lifestyle from a young age. Both daughters knew what to look for, who to befriend, and what information he was after when he asked these routine questions.

"Demetri and Bertrand are coming over by express air. They left perhaps an hour ago, shortly after Demetri finished his immunizations. Cleopatra terrorized the kitchen help today; her food dish seems to have been left empty this morning."

"I'm sorry about that," Adalina apologized. As if on cue, her silky-furred cat appeared, rubbing against her legs. She vaulted onto the table and gathered herself up to perch gracefully at one corner. "I was in a hurry to leave today, and nervous."

"I forgive you a mistake here and there," Bertoldo assured his daughter. "No doubt it was a stressful morning. Are you ready, Annabella dear, to start school in a week?"

"Can I start sooner, Papa?" Annabella trilled delightfully. "Adalina was telling me how spacious and comfortable it is there. I can't wait to know it myself."

"You could if you wanted to. I assumed you would want some time to adjust, and to polish your Japanese?"

"My Japanese is fine," Annabella protested gently. "I can't wait to go."

"Then I shall call the principal and make an arrangement. Adalina, dearest, didn't you say you met a young man named Suo today?"

"I did—Suo Tamaki-kun. He is the principal's only child."

"That he is," Bertoldo enthused. "You've researched your connections well. Will you be pursuing a friendship with these young men?"

"They are a club that specializes in entertaining their peers. They hold teas and parties every day, shortly after school lets out. I think it would be a learning experience to attend both these and their personal meetings. In short, yes, I think I will look into friendship with them. After all, I like Fujioka Haruhi well enough, and a friend of my friend is always a possible ally, is it not?"

"I have taught you well, my Adalina, I have taught you well," Bertoldo laughed.

**Author's notes:**

**WOW, I've never done a manga fanfic before; it's surprisingly intricate. Um, notes: -Everyone speaks of themselves in the proper Eastern style of surname first**

**-Honorifics are used only in the introductions, after that they're assumed unless changed for some reason (you'll see…) **

**-The twins' name for Tamaki (tono) means 'lord', a reference to their name for him in the manga and anime**

**-Like most manga freaks, I have a decent grasp of Japanese honorifics and will use them accordingly**

**-Tamaki and Adalina will use broken French and Italian (respectively) throughout the story. If you spot a translation error (I don't speak either) please point it out and correct it **

**That's it! Tune in next time; questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome!**


	2. A New Way to See

**Author's Note: Special thanks to TigrisRiver for her help on making this story stand out, and for critiquing as well as commenting!**

2- A New Way to See

****SPOILER ALERT: Please proceed to the Author's Note if you want to read the sensitive material. It's up to you. Otherwise, the place where it's mentioned is marked clearly. ^^**

"Miss Garetti, Bertrand and Demetri are here," a maid gently roused the young woman.

Adalina sat up, rubbing her face and tossing her rat's nest if hair over one shoulder. "Mmm? Alright. Please bring them in. Cleo won't mind."

At the sound of her name, the clouded Bengal raised her head, uncurling from the tight ball she had been sleeping in.

"Yes, miss." The maid exited, and Adalina tugged gently at all her clothing until it felt right. Bertrand had been the Garetti family's man since before Adalina was born, and to her, he was something of a muscular hulk of a brother, but she still felt uncomfortable dealing with him before she'd had a morning shower.

In a moment, Adalina heard her door open and close, accompanied by the padding of paws and thumping of combat boots. Demetri's collar jingled crisply as he jumped up on her bed and weaseled in beside her, wagging his German shepherd tail heavily.

"Hello, Demetri, baby. It's good to see you again," Adalina grinned, digging her fingers into the ruff of the dog's coat.

"He was whining for you all week," Bertrand chuckled. "I thought he would rip a hole in his carrier if we didn't get here as fast as we did."

"Ah, Bertrand," the blind girl greeted the man, hugging him gently.

"È buono da vederlo, my Ada, it is good to see you." Bertrand squeezed his charge. "I heard from your father you no longer need me," he teased. "And that he will put me on pension in Bali for my services."

"You could go to Bali now," she teased back.

Bertrand had, since Adalina became mobile in her social life, always escorted her to the various malls, and usually drove for her and was with her and Demetri at school.

"But there is a need. The school's big, and there are more students than Demetri can bumper back."

"Are you sure I won't just get in the way?"

"You? Eh, never. There's a club I'd like you to meet. There's a big one reminds me of you."

"Ah, is he a mighty warrior blessed by the ability to fight off a million deadly adversaries at once without messing up his hair?"

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of a 'gentle-giant' type of person…and he talks less. Much less. Perhaps you would do well to study his example."

The banter continued until Adalina let out a yawn so big Bertrand pushed her unto the bed. "Hey," grinned the escort. "Don't let a boring bodyguard who talks too much keep you up. You need your strength for school." He crossed the room to the door. "Your dad is putting me up in the room next to yours. Do you want me to leave Demetri here?"

"Yes, please, Bertrand," Adalina smiled, running her fingers through the dog's thick fur. "I missed him, and Cleo did as well." Truly, the Bengal was rubbing her nose against the dog's side—they had grown from puppy and kitten together and liked each other more than the usual stigma decreed.

"Alright. Goodnight, Ada."

"Goodnight, Bertrand."

As the door shut, filling in the sliver of light with blackness, Adalina lay back in bed. She actually hadn't been asleep for long when the maid came to wake her. Her mind was full of thoughts of the Host Club—after all the time she had been traveling, and to all the different countries she had experienced, there had been no people like this. A group so different, yet so obviously in tune to each other…Adalina was interested to see what had brought them together, and what was holding them to such a finely tuned balance.

The big one, Mori, seemed to be the calmest. Adalina didn't pick up the turmoil she sensed in the others, but surprisingly, Honey, his charge, seemed to have a lot of troubles. From the way he held himself, she thought his biggest problem was self-confidence, but it was a problem she saw a lot. It was easy to fix, and his feelings for Haruhi didn't seem to resonate as strongly or as stridently as the others—that would make things easier.

Kyoya…well, the boy had a lot of issues. The Italian was good, but she couldn't work those kinds of miracles alone—her priority now had to be his friends, so they could tackle him together when she earned their friendship.

Tamaki himself also had something amiss, but he was better at masking his troubles than any of the people he surrounded himself with. There was some shadow that colored his heart, but he covered it so well with his joy and…mild idiocy that Adalina had trouble deciding what it was.

Then…there were the twins. Adalina had seen plenty of twins in her time, but this was a strange predicament. While the two seemed in sync and almost acted like one entity split in two, there was a deep and unfathomable rift there as well, closed up to a mere half-step across, but still deep and still present. They would be her first venture—it _would_ be Tamaki, but Adalina had a feeling she would be infringing on Haruhi's unrealized but very well marked territory there.

With a game plan marked out for herself, Adalina drifted off to sleep, thinking she had the battle well in the hand, but completely unaware of the surprises in the bush waiting for her.

—

"Ada-chan?"

No sooner did Adalina close the door to the Host Club than a silent pair sneak right up to her. When Hikaru and Kaoru spoke, it was in perfect unison, vowel sounds wide with smiles.

"Ah! You two scared me!" she yelled, whirling and putting her hand over her heart.

"Sorry Ada," one apologized, only to have the other start up again. "But we've been waiting for you to get here. We have a game for you to play."

"That's not even remotely stalker-ish," Adalina deadpanned. "But I do like games. Alright, what is it?"

"It's the…_Guess Which One is Hikaru Game_!" Again with the chorus, but it broke off into a solo afterward.

—**SPOILER—**

"We look different. Hikaru here has dyed his hair black for various reasons. But we figure, since you're blind and all, we can still play with you until you get it right!"

—**SPOILER— **

"So…all I have to do is decide which one is Hikaru and which one is Kaoru?"

"Yes, that's it."

Adalina cocked her eyebrow. "Are you guys serious? This isn't a game at all." But she seemed to hesitate a very long couple of seconds before she reached out and grabbed the hand of the twin in front of her, to her left. "You are Kaoru." She dropped his hand to pick up the other's hand. "And you are Hikaru."

Both twins were surprised beyond speech—her guess was correct.

"…Did I guess correctly?" Adalina's tone was unsure now.

"You did," confirmed one awed Hikaru.

"For sure," Kaoru added.

"_How_?" they chorused.

"…Hikaru, your voice is pitched a little higher. Also, it seems to me that you are louder, and you feel more spontaneous. As for you, Kaoru, you have a much more restful feel." Again, there was that hesitant pause. Kaoru looked at the girl with a small frown, wondering how well the girl could really tell, although his twin seemed carefree enough.

"Well the joke's on us, huh, Kaoru?" Hikaru grinned.

"I guess. Welcome to the Host Club, Ada. We're in session in a half an hour, and the club is almost ready for the public." Kaoru made the formal, ingrained greeting and took the blind girl's hand, leading her over to where the rest of the club had assembled.

"Alright everyone," Kyoya announced, checking his clipboard for reassurance. "Today's theme, as you know, is the popular shojo manga series 'Fruits Basket'. You've all got your costumes; please get ready. Haruhi, you're playing the female role today. Sorry about that."

"It's alright, Senpai."

"Um..Kyoya?" Adalina spoke up, and Kyoya looked her way.

"Ah. Adalina. Good to see you again. Can I help you?"

"Do you mind if…well, I didn't really properly meet everyone yesterday. Would any of you mind if I took a look at you?"

"Uhm…" the club replied stupidly.

Adalina smiled. "It's alright. I knew there would be confusion. Haruhi, may I use you for an example?"

"Of course." Haruhi set down the costume she had been handed and moved over to Adalina. "What do you want me to do?"

"Just stand still please. What color are your hair and eyes?"

"Brown hair and very dark brown eyes."

"I see." Adalina raised her hands and touched her very fingertips to Haruhi's face. "How dark is your hair?"

"Medium shade, I would say." Haruhi seemed calm and collected as Adalina's fingers skimmed along every feature of her face. There was no doubt in Adalina's mind that she was a little flustered, but she was polite enough not to let it show.

"You have a very pretty face," Adalina smiled, and Haruhi noted that she had closed her eyes, perhaps only by habit. "It's a shame you pretend to be a boy. And your hair." She ran a passing hand through it. "Very soft, but also painfully short. Thank you, Haruhi."

"You're welcome." Haruhi stepped away to put on her costume, and as she did so, Adalina considered her next choice.

"Tamaki? If you please, may I try you next?"

"Sure." Tamaki finished buttoning up the shirt he had replaced his uniform with and stepped over.

"Hair and eyes?"

"Blonde hair and dark blue eyes."

"Hmm. Do you have a mixed heritage?" As she had with Haruhi, Adalina gently roved over each feature of the lord's face.

"My mother was—" Tamaki broke off as Adalina trailed over his lips. "Sorry. My mother was French."

"Ah, I see. Not bad. I assume your high cheekbones come from your mother?"

"Yes, actually."

"Although you don't need me to tell you, you're very handsome, Tamaki. Thank you—you have no idea how useful this is for me."

"You're welcome. And that's always a compliment."

Adalina slowly moved through each of the Host Club, allowing for changing whenever Kyoya made it obvious he thought they were running out of time. They did well, however, she had just called Hikaru over when Kyoya insisted everyone get in place.

"Would you rather to finish while you host or wait until after?"

"We can do it while I host," Hikaru decided easily. "It might bring up ratings, huh, Kyoya?"

"I hadn't thought of that, but it might," Kyoya replied levelly, planting his feet firmly on the step block that had been brought in. It was necessary for him to stand over the rest of the club.

"Alright. If you can wait a few moments, we can continue." Hikaru left to join the rest of the club, and the timed doors swung open.

"_Welcome_," the club chorused, and a flood of girls washed the room. In no time, each host was occupied, although when asked, Hikaru politely declined.

"Actually, I just have to finish something up with our new transfer student. Adalina, come here, if you please." Adalina made her way over carefully to sit gracefully beside him, and he called the girl who was wandering off back. "Oh, you can stay, this will only take a moment or two, right, Adalina?"

"Definitely. Alright, you know the drill. Hair and eyes?"

"Black hair, light brown eyes."

As Adalina felt over the host's face and applied it mentally to make her own image, the girl waiting to be hosted watched in amazement.

"Can you really tell what he looks like by doing that, Garetti-san?"

"Fairly well," Adalina replied, tracing over the bridge of his nose. "It's surely not a hundred percent accurate, but it's pretty close."

"Am I studly?" Hikaru asked, grinning widely.

"You're no Tamaki, but that's to be expected," Adalina teased. Hikaru's grin slid off like melted butter. "I kid, I kid, now where's your brother?"

"Kaoru!" Hikaru called. "Adalina wants to crush your hostly spirit next!"

"You rang?" Kaoru obliged, sliding in.

"Alright, let's see how twinly you two really are," Adalina challenged, and she waited for Kaoru to sit down before gently touching her fingertips to his cheeks.

"Red hair and light brown eyes."

"Of course, of course…this _is_ strange. The two of you are practically identical…"

Kaoru observed the girl as well, more thoroughly than the others had done during their turn. She had fairer skin that he was used to, and her hair was darker blonde than Tamaki's. Adalina's blindness wasn't the kind that could be hidden, though, that was something he had known right away. Her irises were flat-colored, milky white.

"How are your eyes like that?" Kaoru's words rushed out without his prior thought, and he blushed with shame after he said it.

"It's apparently a bodily reaction to the retinal scarring. That's what they told me, anyway. It was a wreck involving a semi and my family's car—we were in America at the time. Glass and metal damaged my eyes beyond surgical repair. Ah, I seem to be wrong." Adalina's fingers paused at Kaoru's lips. "I can't find a notable difference anywhere."

"Is that so?" he challenged, a little smug.

"Yes...you were both right. Apart from your hair colors, there's no outward way to tell. Except for maybe that Hikaru's voice is a little higher."

"Great," Hikaru whined. "You say I'm uglier than Tono, then you say I sound like a girl."

"I never said you were uglier than him, I just said you weren't as pretty. You're all abnormally attractive for guys, although I will admit you sound like a girl."

Across the room, three hosts met in moving around to new customers. Kyoya was the first to speak.

"The twins like her."

"Sure they do," Tamaki replied easily, brushing a few strands of hair out of his face. "They like her for the same reasons they liked Haruhi; she can see that they are individuals."

"Are you sure about that?" Haruhi asked after a pause.

Tamaki fixed the girl with a blank stare. "You saw her do it. She can tell."

"I'm not saying she can't, but did you notice? Even though she sounded confident, she hesitated for a long time before making her decision. I don't think it's quite as easy for her as she says."

"Should we tell them?" the troubled lord asked. He bit his lip.

"No." Kyoya's answer was immediate and simple. "We should not tell them. Think how fragile their balance with the outside world is already. Haruhi completely crushed any chances of either of them dating her…"

"Thanks Kyoya," the aforementioned crusher muttered.

"So we should pay special attention to this girl's chances of bringing them out even more. If we tell them now, or she makes a mistake, we run the risk of losing their customer shares in the Club."

"You really are a very evil person."

"Yes," Kyoya admitted, sounding not the least bit guilty, "And the sooner you learn that's not gonna change, the better off we'll all be. But we have to help Miss Garetti in any way possible, for the sake of the Club, and for the sake of the twins."

"But mostly for the sake of the Club," affirmed Haruhi.

"Yeah, mostly."

"Stop being obsessive, Kyoya," Tamaki chastised before wandering off.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**XD I couldn't resist. Sorry, I was thinking of a fun theme, and I love Fruits Basket. I could not resist. Since the scene doesn't cover who is who, if you really want to know, ask and I'll PM you. ****Also, I love feedback! Tell me what you like and what you don't like! And please, be specific! I LOVE IT!!!!**

****: for those of you who haven't read far enough in the series; Hikaru DOES dye his hair black. It's because Kaoru pushes him to tell Haruhi he loves her, but when he refuses, Kaoru starts dating her himself. In a fit of rage, Hikaru storms off, only to find Kaoru did all this on purpose to somewhat 'sever' the twinly bond between them. Kaoru can tell it's not good for their development, but doesn't have the strength to do it himself. After Hikaru learns this, he wakes up extra early the next morning and dyes his hair. This is a permanent change as far as I know. **

* * *


End file.
